Former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has refuted claims made by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo accusing him of promoting corruption during President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
In his recently released book titled Nigeria: Past and Future, Obasanjo alleged that corruption reached unprecedented levels under Buhari, with Malami playing a major role. He described Malami as a “devil’s workshop” and accused him of enabling corrupt practices and discouraging anti-corruption efforts.
Obasanjo also cited the controversial pardons granted to two former governors—Joshua Dariye of Plateau State and Jolly Nyame of Taraba State—who were serving jail terms for embezzling public funds. He claimed the pardons, granted in 2022, were influenced by Malami and were not genuinely based on humanitarian grounds, as officially stated.
Reacting to the allegations in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, Malami said the pardon process was governed by law and handled by a committee on the prerogative of mercy, not by the Attorney General.
He clarified that his role was limited to presenting the committee’s recommendations to the Council of State.
“The responsibility for actions and inactions associated with the committee’s recommendations lies with the committee, not the Attorney General,” he stated.
Malami also condemned what he described as a disturbing trend of unsubstantiated corruption claims against public officials.
He stressed the need for detailed and evidence-based allegations to ensure credibility.
“Our system is plagued by wild and baseless corruption claims.
Allegations should be backed with specifics—what was given, how, when, and through whom,” he said.
He concluded that vague accusations without such details are misleading and hold no legal weight.